On Oct. 23, the BVH Lady Barons flag football team were crowned 2025 Metro-Mesa League champions with an undefeated record of 20-0. Throughout the season, the team had competed against numerous schools weekly, aiming to secure their spot as undefeated champions. This achievement is important to the BVH community, as this new school record marks the first time the team went undefeated in all of flag football BVH history. Senior and rusher Ella Gomez has been on the team for the last two years and has made a major impact to the team’s success being one of the captains.
“I expected to go undefeated this season because I knew my teammates and I were very compatible with going undefeated. We all had a mindset that we must be undefeated, causing us to work harder each game to achieve our goals,” Gomez said.
Gomez explains the mindset she had when going into the season and emphasized the idea that if you put your mind into something, you can make it happen. She highlighted that while certain mindsets can lead to positive outcomes, some mindsets could also be seen negatively in some situations. Junior, captain and quarterback Mia Ramirez shared how this mental aspect affects a game for players, including herself.
“During a bad game, [I try] not to get into my head and keep doing my best in order to [give] the team the win. My mental game is my biggest challenge,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez furthered that any athlete that plays any sport can relate to this thought: When wanting to succeed constantly, some begin to overthink and dwell on specific plays that happen. Despite having to fight through the overwhelming thought, these athletes have pushed themselves.
“We overcome challenges by being the best teammate and player we can be when someone is down on the sidelines. There is always someone there to uplift you and make sure you are okay. We play as hard as we can at all times in order to do our best and win the game,” Ramirez said.
As Ramirez went through her own battles, she was able to relate to others and be a huge support for her teammates, helping everyone when they are feeling an overwhelming pressure to deliver for their team. Head flag football coach Larry Schoen shared his perspective as a coach and how he guides his team through challenges.
“A twenty game regular season naturally comes with some health and injury setbacks, especially when we schedule hard and continue to play at a high level. We can absorb these things by making sure our depth is fully prepared in practice, allowing them to seamlessly slide into a position without any drop off,” Schoen said.
Schoen continued with how these major setbacks helped change how practices before games functioned, especially when preventing injuries during the game. On a positive note, since this team has been so successful, Schoen shared what has best worked for this team.
“Most teams always pass the ball, [but] we are built differently. Our run game has been successful all year long [and] opens up the deep passing game. Even the good plays do not always work at times [and we] can not discredit the opposing team if they have good coaches, players and come out with a solid defensive scheme,” Schoen said.
Schoen described the reasoning behind his plays, as his team specializes in blocking. Even with an undefeated season, Schoen reasoned that their success does not mean that every play is perfect, explaining that it takes constant practice, determination and staying healthy during the season both on defense and offense. While having strong plays during games is a strong factor to winning, there are also other factors that matter.
“Having a good relationship with your team is a strong priority of mine because the closer you are, the more comfortable you become. [Bonding] builds a strong team chemistry which you need to succeed because if you do not work together, you do not win,” Gomez said.
Gomez and Schoen both emphasized that having a team that bounces off each other’s energy helps shift the team’s mindset and build confidence. They explained when teammates encourage one another it sets a positive tone for practices and games. This energy created a sense of trust and accountability which makes this team so successful.
“Without our coaches, we would not be where we are now. Getting their input from the sidelines helped me succeed on the field. Special shoutout to coach Jeff who is always there for my ups and downs,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez continued with how that strong support system is important because it helps them stay motivated and allows them to feel understood. With hard work and determination, the value of winning to the Lady Barons is sentimental and rewards hard work. Schoen shared how the girls on this team make his job as a coach easier and more enjoyable.
“I can game plan all I want but I am nothing without these ladies. They are superior athletes with driven mindsets, and they are the ones executing what is asked of them,” Schoen said. “Being the best is tangible and there is nothing wrong with trying to chase perfection. One by one. Us vs us.”
